US COVID-19 Deaths Reach 170,000 in October... Concerns Over Second Wave Spread

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy New York=Correspondent Baek Jong-min] It is predicted that the number of deaths from the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) in the United States could reach 170,000. Although economic activities are gradually resuming, it is pointed out that this is rather becoming a trigger for the resurgence of infections.

CNN reported on the 11th that the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) at the University of Washington School of Medicine released a predictive model forecasting that the number of COVID-19 deaths in the U.S. could reach 169,890 by October 1. This model estimated the range of deaths to be approximately 133,000 to 290,000.

Compared to the 113,168 COVID-19 deaths in the U.S. counted by Johns Hopkins University on the same day, this means about 57,000 more deaths could occur by October 1.

IHME predicted that daily deaths would steadily decrease until July but then sharply surge in September. This essentially signals a second wave of COVID-19.

Christopher Murray, director of IHME, said, "If the U.S. fails to suppress the increase in (COVID-19 deaths) in September and the pandemic continues as expected after the pneumonia season, we could face a worsening (death) trend in October, November, and beyond."

Dr. Ashish Jha, director of the Harvard Global Health Institute, also warned, "Without bold measures, the number of deaths will continue to rise."

The resurgence of COVID-19 in the U.S. is also reflected in statistics. CNN, citing its own data, analyzed that COVID-19 hospitalizations increased in at least 12 states after the Memorial Day holiday at the end of last month.

In North Carolina, the number of COVID-19 hospitalizations reached a peak of 812 on the 11th. Hospitalizations increased after Memorial Day in Alaska, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Kentucky, Mississippi, Montana, Oregon, South Carolina, Texas, and Utah.

Meanwhile, Johns Hopkins University counted the total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the U.S. at 2,003,930 on the same day.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.